Guaranteed Snow this Queen’s Birthday
Taupo will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland this Queen’s Birthday weekend as Ruapehu Alpine Lifts brings their Happy Valley Grand Opening celebrations to town.
A town centre party, music, entertainment and activities for the whole family to enjoy are just some of the exciting happenings to look forward to this June.
What’s New?
There are loads of new and exciting developments up on the mountain this year; snowmaking improvements, the Happy Valley Snow Park relaunch, new beginner trails higher up than before, and the Waterfall T-bar being replaced with a brand new quad express chairlift.
Happy Valley Snow Park is the place to come for your first snow experience, whether that’s learning to ski under the guidance of an experienced snow school instructor, or speeding down the slope on a sled. Even the kids will love the dedicated play zone, they’ll have their own covered surface lift away from the skiing and snowboarding public, so they’re safe while having fun in the snow.
In a New Zealand first, Happy Valley Snow Park will have the only Techno Alpin SF210 All-Weather Snowmaking system in the country. This means they can make snow in above-zero temperatures, and guarantee an opening for Queen’s Birthday long weekend, making it the first ski area to open in Australasia – perfect for those snow-lovers who start their winter countdown as soon as the season ends!
Also, getting to Happy Valley will now be so much easier and faster, with no more uncomfortable chairlift! Ruapehu Alpine Lifts are adding two high speed Schindler elevators (fitting 26 people each) to take you from the carpark to the snow. The park will also feature 3 brand new surface lifts, of which 2 will be covered to keep you dry and sheltered.
But that’s not all… now, you can night ski! Experience the night skiing options on Friday and Saturday nights where the Happy Valley Snow Park and Whakapapa lower mountain will also be buzzing with music, entertainment and food and beverages. Advanced riders will be able to enjoy new terrain park features too.
Connecting Mt Ruapehu + Taupo
This year, RAL are opening two new Mt Ruapehu shops in the Taupo town centre, offering ticketing, transport and rental services to those skiers staying in Taupo. And the best part, there will be a dedicated Taupo to Whakapapa shuttle transport service (with a Turangi i-Site stop) departing daily a minimum of every 30 minutes. No more transport woes – sit back, relax and enjoy the stunning lakeside drive enroute to the mountain.
The new Taupo-Ruapehu link presents a huge opportunity for our local businesses and community, bringing a vibrant new buzz during winter and another peak of visitors in the year.
A weekend of festivities
On 3 June, a month earlier than the start of the ski season, Mt Ruapehu will open their new ski area, with a grand opening held in both the Taupo and Happy Valley locations.
Ruapheu Alpine Lifts are working closely with Towncentre Taupo, Destination Great Lake Taupo, and local businesses to bring you ‘Winter’ as you’ve never seen it before.
The opening weekend will see families participate in an exciting opening party right in the town centre. In the same way, Happy Valley will also come alive to many more festivities for those who want to experience it at Whakapapa Skifield. Keep an eye on the Mt Ruapehu facebook page or www.mtruapehu.com for full details.